Least Free States 2025

New York
50
Hawaii
49
California
48
Oregon
46
Maryland
45
Delaware
44
Vermont
43
New Mexico
42
Rhode Island
41
Mississippi
40
Washington
39
Minnesota
38
Illinois
37
Connecticut
36
West Virginia
35
Maine
34
Nebraska
33
Louisiana
32
Ohio
31
Massachusetts
30
Iowa
29
New Jersey
28
South Carolina
28
Kansas
27
Wyoming
26
Kentucky
25
Alaska
24
Arkansas
23
Alabama
22
Texas
21
Utah
20
Oklahoma
19
Montana
18
Wisconsin
17
North Carolina
16
North Dakota
15
Virginia
15
Pennsylvania
14
Colorado
12
Missouri
11
Idaho
10
Arizona
9
Georgia
8
Michigan
7
Indiana
6
South Dakota
5
Tennessee
4
Nevada
3
Florida
2
New Hampshire
1
State
Freedom Rank
Change in Rank Since 2016
Fiscal Policy Rank
Personal Freedom Rank
Regulatory Policy Rank
New York Flag
New York500495048
Hawaii Flag
Hawaii490504645
California Flag
California480412650
Oregon Flag
Oregon46-642946
Maryland Flag
Maryland451243247
Delaware Flag
Delaware44-3444733
Vermont Flag
Vermont43246444
New Mexico Flag
New Mexico42058535
Rhode Island Flag
Rhode Island41-2273343
Mississippi Flag
Mississippi403453615
Washington Flag
Washington39-5322441
Minnesota Flag
Minnesota38-1392234
Illinois Flag
Illinois377253038
Connecticut Flag
Connecticut36-1174340
West Virginia Flag
West Virginia353401429
Maine Flag
Maine34-237339
Nebraska Flag
Nebraska33-347202
Louisiana Flag
Louisiana32-7262931
Ohio Flag
Ohio31-2204032
Massachusetts Flag
Massachusetts30-982542
Iowa Flag
Iowa29443193
New Jersey Flag
New Jersey28-7284849
South Carolina Flag
South Carolina28-2333513
Kansas Flag
Kansas27-938311
Wyoming Flag
Wyoming261036415
Kentucky Flag
Kentucky256234511
Alaska Flag
Alaska24-10341027
Arkansas Flag
Arkansas235224414
Alabama Flag
Alabama220193725
Texas Flag
Texas213124922
Utah Flag
Utah20-335288
Oklahoma Flag
Oklahoma198292320
Montana Flag
Montana18-3141736
Wisconsin Flag
Wisconsin17330219
North Carolina Flag
North Carolina163211626
North Dakota Flag
North Dakota151311312
Virginia Flag
Virginia15-7153818
Pennsylvania Flag
Pennsylvania14952737
Colorado Flag
Colorado12-516728
Missouri Flag
Missouri11271530
Idaho Flag
Idaho10-211424
Arizona Flag
Arizona9018619
Georgia Flag
Georgia826347
Michigan Flag
Michigan7413817
Indiana Flag
Indiana6091110
South Dakota Flag
South Dakota5-14186
Tennessee Flag
Tennessee4123916
Nevada Flag
Nevada3010123
Florida Flag
Florida2011221
New Hampshire Flag
New Hampshire103221
  • All scores are expressed as rankings, with the best-performing state earning a rank of 1 and the worst-performing state earning the rank of 50.
  • The freedom rankings are the compilation of more than 230 policy variables drawn from more than 20 categories, including political campaign finance, labor, education, healthcare, gun laws, gambling, marriage, and land use.